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BGFC Hosts Virtual Auction and Live Gala

Blue Grass Farms Charities (BGFC), which provides health and human services to people working on Central Kentucky's Thoroughbred farms, will host both a virtual auction and an in-person gala event in October.

The 2nd Annual Relics and Rarities from the Bluegrass Region Virtual Auction will begin Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. and end Nov. 1, also at 7 p.m. Anyone is welcome and encouraged to bid on unique, rare, and fun items from area farms and businesses. Text BGFC at 76278 to connect and be a part of the auction.

“We have a great lineup of items,” said BGFC director Julie Kwasniewski. “Many are from the farms such as Authentic' s halter and Tapit's shoes. Included in the list of items are signed Maker's Mark and hard-to-find bourbons, area trips and experiences, and beautiful equine art.”

BGFC will also host its annual gala event Oct. 29 at Lexington's Limestone Hall located in the Old Courthouse Square, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. The courthouse will be decorated and the evening will feature live music, catering, and a costume contest.

“Since 2019 we have been planning this gala,” said Kwasniewski. “Why not come knowing that we have been preparing for a fun, COVID-19-safe party for 1 1/2 years. Yes, wear a mask. It's a Halloween party!”

Costumes are encouraged but not required. Tickets are $125 per person or $1,000 for table of eight, available at bgfcky.org or 859.219.0910.

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Friday’s Insights: Full-Sis to Caledonia Road Debuts at Belmont

4th-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, post time: 2:20 p.m. ET
Vegso Racing Stable homebred CELESTIAL (Quality Road), a full-sister to champion 2-year-old filly and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Caledonia Road, kicks off her career for Hall of Famer Bill Mott. She RNA'd for $700,000 as a FTKSEL yearling last year and is drawn widest of all in post nine.

Magnier, Tabor, Smith and Westerberg's Sweet as Pie (Tapit), a $490,000 FTKSEL yearling produced by a full-sister to GISW Streaming (Smart Strike), debuts for Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher. Her third dam is the legendary bluehen mare Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister). The 2-1 morning-line favorite has been assigned the rail. TJCIS PPs

6th-KEE, $84K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, post time: 3:55 p.m. ET
SOCIAL MATRIX (Jimmy Creed), a $500,000 FTKSEL yearling and a half-sister to champion 2-year-old filly and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine British Idiom (Flashback), takes on a full field in this debut run for Brad Cox. The OXO Equine colorbearer worked five furlongs from the gate in 1:01 3/5 (28/53) at Churchill Downs Oct. 2. TJCIS PPs

8th-SA, $61K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, post time: 7:29 p.m. ET
Hall of Famer Bob Baffert unveils $750,000 KEESEP yearling graduate BROCADE (Into Mischief). The half-sister to MSP Kansas Kis (Constitution), owned by Sarah Kelly and Jane Wiltz, worked four furlongs from the gate in :47 4/5 (2/40) at Santa Anita Sept. 24. The Into Mischief over Tiznow cross is also responsible for GSW & MGISP Comical. Aqua Julia (Exaggerator), a half-sister to GISW Mushka (Empire Maker), debuts for Richie Baltas. TJCIS PPs

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Knicks Go Has Home-Field Advantage In Saturday’s Lukas Classic

Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go, the top-ranked horse in the NTRA Top Thoroughbred Poll after convincing wins in this year's Pegasus World Cup (G1) at Gulfstream Park and Whitney (G1) at Saratoga, was made the overwhelming 2-5 morning line favorite in Saturday's $400,000 Lukas Classic (Grade 3) at Churchill Downs – his final test before tackling the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

“He's a horse that puts a lot into his training and he's done that leading into Saturday's race,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He's accomplished a lot this year and we believe the Lukas Classic is a good race to compete in prior to the Breeders' Cup. This race doesn't require him to ship and he can run out of his own stall.”

Knicks Go (22-8-3-1—$5,368,995) had a strong 1 ½-mile gallop early Thursday morning prior to schooling in the paddock at 10 a.m. The Maryland-bred competed four times at Churchill Downs while under the care of trainer Ben Colebrook but has not recorded victory beneath the Twin Spires.

Knicks Go is scheduled to face five rivals in the 1 1/8-mile Lukas Classic including Juddmonte's multiple graded stakes winning homebred Tacitus. The gray son of Tapit arrived to trainer Bill Mott's Churchill Downs base earlier in the week from Saratoga. Saturday's race will be the first time Tacitus has competed since finishing seventh in the $20 million Saudi Cup (GI) in February.

The Lukas Classic is carded as the eighth race on Saturday's 11-race program. First post is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) and the Lukas Classic will go at 4:22 p.m. Named after Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, the race shares the Saturday spotlight with the $300,000 Ack Ack (GIII), which goes as Race 10 at 5:26 p.m.

The complete field for the Lukas Classic from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): New Orleans Classic (G2) winner Chess Chief (James Graham, Dallas Stewart, 20-1); Knicks Go (Joel Rosario, Cox, 2-5); $3.7 million earner Tacitus (Jose Lezcano, Mott, 5-2); multiple stakes winner Shared Sense (Brian Hernandez Jr., Cox, 15-1); Pegasus World Cup third Independence Hall (Javier Castellano, Michael McCarthy, 10-1); and West Virginia Governor's (G3) winner Sprawl (Joe Talamo, Tommy Drury Jr., 12-1).

Wagering is available on www.TwinSpires.com, the official ADW of Churchill Downs Incorporated and its family of racetracks.

The post Knicks Go Has Home-Field Advantage In Saturday’s Lukas Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Grade I Winner Valiance Retired, to Sell at Fasig-Tipton November

Grade I winner Valiance (Tapit–Last Full Measure, by Empire Maker) has been retired from racing and will be offered at Fasig-Tipton's upcoming November Sale Nov. 9 in Lexington, Kentucky. Bluewater Sales will consign the 5-year-old mare for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Martin S. Schwartz, and CHC Inc.

Valiance captured last year's GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at Keeneland in just her second dirt start and followed up that victory with a game second in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff to multiple champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), finishing ahead of another four Grade I winners.

The gray won her first three career starts on turf, including Monmouth's Open Mind S. as a 3-year-old. Trained throughout her career by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, she retires with a record of 9-6-0-1 and career earnings of $809,575.

“Valiance is a top-class race mare and a terrific individual,” commented Pletcher. “She's always been a true professional to train in the morning and was so versatile on the racetrack in the afternoon. She's a good one.”

A $650,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearling, Valiance is out of a dam who scored in the GI the Madison S. and her second dam, Lazy Slusan (Slewvescent), is a multiple Grade I-winning distaffer and millionaire.

“Valiance was a stunning yearling with a royal pedigree and she followed through on the racetrack,” said Aron Wellman, President of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. “She trained with brilliance, ran with brilliance on turf and dirt at the highest level and provided our partners with huge thrills. She's a rare filly who had impeccable breeding, gorgeous looks, immeasurable talent and that intangible killer instinct to win her races. She is an elite mare who offers the complete package and she is cut out to be an exceptional broodmare.”

Added Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, “Valiance is a rare commodity–she's a Grade I winner, her dam is a Grade I winner, and her granddam is a Grade I winner. In addition, she's by Tapit and a beautiful individual. Her potential as a broodmare is unlimited.”

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